Sacred Heart Church

Sacred Heart Church stands at 16th Street and Buckeye Road and displays modern architecture with distinctive red brick walls and large windows throughout. The building features clean lines and functional design elements typical of mid-century construction.

The church began as a simple ramada with a dirt floor in the early 1950s and was formally dedicated by Bishop Gercke in 1956. When the surrounding neighborhood was demolished through government land acquisition in the 1970s and 1980s, it remained as the sole surviving structure from the barrio.

The church is a remaining landmark of the Golden Gate Barrio and serves as a spiritual anchor for the Mexican American community that worshipped here for many years. It holds the religious memories and traditions of a neighborhood whose people were displaced but whose faith remained rooted in this building.

The church is accessible to visitors but is maintained through the Braun Sacred Heart Center and operates for special occasions like the annual Christmas service. It helps to contact ahead or check local information to learn when viewing is possible.

The church gained National Register of Historic Places status in 2012, decades after the destruction of its surrounding neighborhood. This delayed recognition highlights how important such structures are as symbols of cultural memory and survival.

Location: Phoenix

Inception: 1954

Architects: Albert Braun

Architectural style: modern architecture

Address: 920 South 17th Street

GPS coordinates: 33.43436,-112.05620

Latest update: December 13, 2025 11:46